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Patented Sept. 6, I898.

H. J. WHEELER. OTT'ON ELEVATOR AND DISTRIBUTER.

(Application filed Mar. 4, 189B.)

AUTOMATIC 0 (Nu Mod l Patented Sept. 6, I898.

No. 6I0,293.

H. J. WHEELER. AUTOMATIC COTTON ELEVATOR AND DISTRIBUTER.

(Application filed Mar. 4, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No-Model.)

WITNESSES THE uonms PETERS co FHQTOLITHO, WASKINGTQN, n. c.

UNrrnn STAT- s FFICEQ PAT NT HOUSTON \VHEELER, OF I-IUTOHINS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BENJAMIN D. ATWELL, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC COTTON ELEVATOR AND DI STRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,293, dated September 6, 1898. I Application filed March 4, 1898. Serial No. 672,578. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, HOUSTON J. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hutohins, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Cotton Elevators and Distributers and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is directed to improvements in apparatus for elevating and distributing seed-cotton, and contemplates the provision of a comparatively simple and durable appliance which obtains in operation the highest efficiency and is entirely automatic in the sense that no manual acts are necessary to the performance of its functions.

One of the objects of my invention is to secure equality in the distribution of the cotton to the gin-stands regardless of the number comprising the battery, this result being accomplished by the provision of means whereby the feeding of the stands is effected only when all of the distributing apparatus shall have been equally supplied.

Another object of my invention is to largely augment the capacity of appliances of this character by increasing the rapidity of action of its parts, this being effected by rendering the apparatus entirely automatic and continuous in its operation, and as an incident thereto theexpense of time and labor is materially reduced.

Another object of my invention is the production of an apparatus in which the factors of friction and disorder are practically removed owing to the absence of gearing or other driven mechanisms, the structure being operated pneumatically and involving but few movable parts, which are in the nature of valves or the like acted upon through the action of the air or through simple connections one with the other.

, The details of construction and operation is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic cotton elevating and distributing apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the opposite side thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig.4 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring'to the said drawings by letter, A

denotes a conduit, to one end a of which is attached a tube (not shown) leading to the wagon or other cotton-conveyer or cottonhouse, while to the other end a of said cond uit is attached the air-pipe, (also not shown,)

,munication at one end with the conduit end a. To afiord the side passages w, the conduit is centrally enlarged, the enlargement tapering at the end toward the fan connection to lessen friction on the air-currents and be ing squared at the other end, which is the terminus of the side passages, where openings are made which are normally closed by hinged valves b, openable inwardly against the action of coiled springs 12, the tension of the springs being controlled by regulating screws and nuts b 0 denotes a rock-shaft journaled on-the under side of the conduit adjacent to the valveopenings and provided with arms, one of which, 0, is flexibly connected with a valve 1), and the other of which, 0 is normally in engagement with a hook 0 carried by the other valve 17. To the latter valve is attached a cord or chain 0 which is passed through an eye on the conduit and supports an adjustable Weight 0 At one side of the end a of the conduit is an opening controlled by a valve 01 of the hinged type, a spring cl being e1nployed to maintain the normal closed condition of the said valve. The means employed for opening the valve consist of a cord or chain d connected at one end to the valve and at the other end to an arm secured to the conduit near its opposite end, the cord or chain being provided with a depending section, to which is attached a handhold 01 At the opposite side of the end a of the conduit is on opening over which is arranged a valve 6, consisting of a radially-slotted plate e, and over said plate is a similarly-slotted rotatable disk 8 which is moved to open and close the plate-slots through rod connection with a bell-crank lever 6 the lever being operated through means presently to be described.

Immediately beneath the conduit is a cas ing F, which is longitudinally separated by partitions ff into a central chamber f,which opens into the conduit-passage a and into side chambers or passages f f, which open into the passages a the partitions f being screens which are inserted to be readily removed for cleaning and other purposes. The casing F, which supports the conduit, has the same transverse diameter as the latter, and the screens f are in vertical alinement with the conduit-partitions, so that passages in the one are in register with the chambers of the other, and communication is established between the central conduit-passage and the side passages through the casing-screens f. The side chambers f of the casing are closed at the bottom; but the central chamber f is open to the upper end of a receptacle G, which is in the nature of a casing having a length equal to that of the casing F, but having a width or transverse dimension somewhat less than that of the latter.

At the upper end of the receptacle is a valve h, hinged at one side and normally opened. The means employed for raising this valve to close the opening at the upper end of the receptacle consists of a pivoted lever h and a curved arm 71?, connecting the lever and valve and movable in a slot in the receptacle-wall. h is a hand-cord for raising the valve to its closed position. Below the valve 71. the receptacle is widened slightly to afford a seat for a valve 2', which is normally raised by the action of the exhaust to close the receptacle and afford a support for the cotton and is lowered to allow the cotton to discharge by the weight of this material. As will presently appear, the action of the valve 11 is infiuenced by that of the valve e, and means are employed for operatively connecting the 'valves together, consisting of a rock-shaft j,

journaled in bracket-bearings on the receptacle and having arm-and-rod connection with the bell-crank lever and a similar connection with a curved arm i, carried by the valve '5 and movable in a slotin the receptacle-wall. The arm '5 is provided with projections i and between the projections the arm is movably confined in a slot in an arm j, pivoted at one end to said wall and having rod connection at its other end with an arm 7' on the rock-shaft j.

j is a weighted arm carried by the rockshaft to counterbalance the valve i. In one of the receptacle-walls below the valve '1: are screened openings 7c 70, through which air is admitted.

Z Z are sight-openings covered with glass to allow of inspection by the operator.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The apparatus illustrated in the drawings is for a single gin-stand, and obviously where a battery is employed there will be an equal number of connected apparatus, the first of which will have tube connection with the cotton-wagon and the last of which will have pipe connection with the exhaust-fan. The wagon being brought beneath the tube and the exhaust-fan set in motion the cotton is drawn into the conduit and through the central passage until it reaches the point directly over the casing, when owing to the division of the air-currents the cotton is thrown downward onto the valve 1', which, as previously stated, is maintained in its raised position bythe action of the exhaust. The air after leaving the central passage passes through the screens into the casing side chambers and from thence through the side passages of the conduit to the fan. The accumulation of cotton in the receptacle and the central chamber of the casing results in the screens becoming clogged against the passage of air therethrough, and where a series of apparatus are employed the cotton will pass to the next in order until the same is filled, and so on until all have been equally supplied. The clogging or choking of the screens prevents the passage of air by the usual channel, and the vacuum created in the side chambers and passages causes the valves 1) to open and admit air, the result being that the vacuum is relieved sufliciently to overcome its effect on, the valve 2', which latter opening by the weight of the cotton allows the latter to pass downward through the receptacle and into the gin-stands. The movement of the valve 1; through the described interconnection with the valve 6 causes the latter valve to open and further relieve the vacuum, the result being that the valve iis further opened to permit the discharge of the entire contents of the receptacle. Said valve 01 being now'relieved of the weight of the cotton is raised partly by the counterbalancingweight and partly by the inrush of air through the openings k, and the action of the weight results in the closure of the valve e. The vacuum produced in the side chambers and passages by the clogging of the screens has the initial effect of opening the valves 1) to only a slight extent, or sufliciently to cause the shaft 0 to rock and disengage its arm 0 from the hook 0 after which the valves are widely opened. As soon as the contents of the receptacle shall have been discharged and the screens are again open the air is permitted to pass into the apparatus through the central channel, the result being, as before stated, that the valve 1' is again raised to its seat,

' and in addition the coiled springs I) act upon the valves (2 to close them, after which the apparatus is again in condition to be supplied. Obviously where a number of gin-stands and apparatus therefor are employed the conduit and rock-shaft must extend the length of the battery. In this manner, although the apparatus are supplied successively, the discharge of the contents of all is simultaneous, and each gin-stand is fed with an equal quantity of cotton. In the event that the quantity of cotton is insufficient to fill the apparatus and thereby prevent the automatic discharge thereof, the operator by a pull on the cord or chain 01 opens the valve (1 and admits through the opening a sufficient quantity of air to relieve the vacuum and allow the valve t'to open and discharge the contents of the receptacle. The weight 0 is made adjustable in order to regulate the resistance of the valvesb to the pressure of the exhaust. of any one of the apparatus the cotton is thereby shut out from the respective ginstand.

From the foregoing it will be observed that my improved apparatus is entirely automatic in operation, that the movable parts are dependent in their action entirely upon the exhaust and upon no extraneous operating mechanisms, and that by myinvention it is possible to connect a battery consisting of a large number of stands in such a manner as to obtain in a rapid and efficient way and without manual attendance or labor the distribution to the stands simultaneously of equal quantities of cotton and to accomplish such result without liability of interruption due to improper working ordisorder of any of its parts. The apparatus, moreover, is simple in its construction, and hence cheaply made, may be knocked down into a small compass for transportation and readily set up, requires no skilled attendance either for its installation or maintenance, and there being no driven parts other than the exhaust-fan but a comparatively small power is necessary to its operation.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit having a passage for the material, and a side passage connected with an exhaust, a relief-valve at the exhaust end of the side passage, a pneumatically-controlled valve at its opposite end, a receptacle beneath the passage for the material having a screened passage leading to the side passage, a valve in said receptacle controlled by the exhaust, and a connection between said latter valve and the relief-valve, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit having a passage for the material, and a side passage By raising the valve 77;

' connected with an exhaust, a relief-valve at the exhaust end of the side passage, a series of receptacles beneath the passage for the material having screened passages leading to the side passage, a pneumatically-controlled valve in the side passage at each receptacle, a valve in each receptacle normally raised by the action of the exhaust to aiford a support for the material, and a connection between the receptacle-valve and the relief-valve, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit having a passage for the material, and a side passage connected with an exhaust, a relief valve at the exhaust end of the side passage, a pneumatically-controlled valve, at its opposite end, a receptacle beneath the passage for the material having a screened passage leading to the side passage, a hand-operated valve in said receptacle, a pneumaticallycontrolled valve in the receptacle below the hand-valve, and a connection between the relief-valve and the pneumatically-controlled receptacle-valve, substantially as described.

l. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit having a central passage closed at one end and openat its other end for the reception of the material and side passages commonly connected at one end to an exhaust and provided at their other end with pneumatically controlled valved openings, a relief-valve at one side of the exhaust end of the side passages, a handvalve at the opposite side of said end, a re ceptacle beneath the conduit divided by removable screen-partitions into a central chamber opening into the central passage and into side chambers opening into the side passages, a pneumatically-controlled valve in the central chamber normally raised to afford a support for the material, and a connection between said latter valve and the relief-valve, substantially as described 5. In an apparatus of the character de= scribed, the combination of a conduit having the three passages and the valves as set forth,

IOC

end to receive the material, and having two side passages merged at one end into a passage connected with an exhaust and having openings at their other end, valves at said openings normally closed by the action of ad justable springs, a rock-shaft carrying arms one of which is connected with a valve and the other of which is in normal engagement with a hook on the other valve, and a weight for the latter valve, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit having a passage for the material and a side passage connected with an exhaust, a relief-Valve in said side passage consisting of a radiallyslotted disk rotatably mounted on a radially slotted plate, a receptacle for the cotton beneath the conduit, a hinged valve. in said receptacle affording a support for the cotton, a rock-shaft, connections between the receptacle-valve and the shaft and between the shaft and relief-valve, and a Weighted arm car- 15 ried by the shaft substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HOUSTON J. WHEELER. Witnesses:

F. M. MITCHELL, K. A. RAWLINs. 

